[DECISION] Living in Austin and working in Houston

What about airfare? Have you looked into the costs of flying back and forth instead of driving?

 

Sounds like you have a good plan . . . if you can do it.
It will be some hard times.

The Insurance for the whole family .. .that sticks out to me as something to do it for.

Rocket River

 

could cost less just to fly, southwest has some cheap flights for like 60 bucks (i think its round trip)

how long could you keep that up, only seeing your kids on weekends, however, insurance for the whole family and 15 grand more if you take away the 5 for gas, that's a nice deal, you shouldn't be asking us, ask your wife she's the one whos going to suffer, her and the kids, but like you said, insurance for all of them is a big plus

 

Austin's not a great place for high paying jobs. Just too small.

I'd move back to Houston -- being away from your family that much isn't worth $15,000 of extra pay, and it sounds like you don't have an obvious career path in Austin. Just move back to Houston and visit Austin every now and then.

but then I'm not one of the Austin fanboys on this site. I find it to be an overgrown mid-sized town with terrible traffic, with suburbs that are no different than those around Houston or any other city for that matter.

 

Your wife & kids have only been living in Austin since last summer? Then they haven't put down strong roots and aren't too established there. Even though Austin is nice, I would move my entire family back to Houston for the job. You have extended family in Houston, too, correct? And surely your wife and kids must have a lot of friends in Houston if they lived here up until last summer. With the extra 20K and savings in gas/commute expenses, you can afford a nicer lifestyle, more savings, take a better vacation together, etc.

 

That doesn't sound sustainable for a bunch of different reasons.

Unless you have some overwhelming desire to live in Austin, I'd just move.

 

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Dude just move your family back to Houston it makes more sense. Unless there is a major reason your family wants to remain in Austin or you have your kids going to school in the Westlake area you should move them back to Houston.

 

good luck Pope. Really a question for the family. I could do it for a short term contract, but not without an exit. But I'm not in your shoes. Maybe...if I could swing a four day workweek, or work from home...That's a full day's driving you're doing each week, plus away from the family and young'uns. Big sacrifices for that job.

Have you considered Sugarland ?

 

If you are already dreading the time away from your kids and family and the money you will be spending (along with wear on your car), that's only going to get worse.

You have to weigh out what's more important to you.

If it's getting your career back on track, you have to find a way to move back to Houston. The current 'commute' plan may work for a while, but it's going to be very taxing on you.

If you are willing to wait it out and find a job in or near Austin, and it's more important that you and your family live there and you get to see them, then do so.

Hope it works out for you.

 

I do that commute for work (but all expenses are paid)... it gets old quickly. I don't see the benefit of paying the extensive commute price, stress of not being home at nights, and the mortgage at the same time.

Can you negotiate with the current job for some security/benefits? Turn your contract into a FT offer?

 

You should add "being away from family" under the benefits section.

 

I would try to do it for a little while. If it doesn't work out, you can move the family down to Houston.

 

July is still a long way off. Keep looking for a better job in Austin until then. spending 5 days a week away from the wife and kids is not a recipe for success or happiness in my opinion. Is that extra 20k after tax? or pre tax? if it's pretax, it will barely cover gas and wear and tear on the car at 50 cents per mile.

Plus, when you get home Friday night, and will want to spend time at home, they will have spent the last 5 days at home and want to go somewhere. Plus, you're spending 5 days a week in Houston, where you don't seem to want to spend your time.

 

Insurance for whole family instead of just me.

I think that would probably be my biggest selling point if I had a family to support.

 

Dude, if you love Austin, make things work there. $20k can't replace the lost time with your kids.

 

Is the 20 grand life changing money. I mean 50 to 70 is pretty significant but 150 to 170 not so much. Also why not just move the entire family here in the summer?

 

Get Gov. Rick to build one of these between Houston and Austin and you're golden...